Los Angeles to host its first street food festival this weekend

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The Komodo Truck, serving a variety of burritos, salads and rolls, is one of the participants at the street food fest. Courtesy LA Street Food Fest/via Flickr

If you thought street food in L.A. was all about taco trucks and hot dog carts, you should take a trip to the city’s first street food festival.

To be held this Saturday downtown, the event will feature more than 35 gourmet food trucks and street carts, selling everything from grilled cheese sandwiches and paper pastries to shaved ice, eggs, scones, croissants and coffee, along with local designer ware.

Self-confessed “marketing ninja and social media maven,” Shawna Dawson, who is organizing this event with designer Sonja Rasula, said the response has been tremendous.

“People got to know about the event by word-of-mouth, and we had more than 10,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, even before we started doing a formal promotion” said Dawson.

She says the event is more about building a community spirit, than about street food.

“L.A. is not a walking city, but I know Angelenos are yearning for ways to engage with their city … the food just happens to be the glue,” she said.

The fest will feature day-of-event only items and special tasting menus priced between $1 and $5. One of the highlights is celebrity Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s signature fried chicken recipe, and the two donation-based cash bars whose proceeds will go to the LA Regional Foodbank.

The event is going to be held Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at LA Center Studios, 500 S. Beaudry St. For more information, check out LA Street Food Fest.